National Certification for Teachers

National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards

The California Department of Education
(CDE) actively supports teachers in their efforts to achieve advanced
certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS).

The NBPTS is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and nongovernmental
agency governed by a 25-member board of directors, the majority
of whom are classroom teachers. The NBPTS mission advances the quality of
teaching and learning by:

The National Board seeks to elevate the status, voice, and role of accomplished teachers in shaping a true profession. This includes: 1) raising public awareness with respect to the cognitive complexity, collaborative, and expertise-driven nature of teachers' work; 2) setting higher standards for entry, advancement, and leadership in the profession; and 3) recognizing accomplished teaching through a rigorous professional certification process comparable to those found in other professions such as medicine, engineering, and law.

National Board Certification

Following the development of certificate standards, the National Board collaborated with a skilled team of psychometricians to create the process by which a teacher could be fairly and reliably assessed as meeting those standards.

This new certification was the first of its kind in education. Built and overseen by the profession, the process of becoming National Board Certified was performance-based, multiple-measure, peer-reviewed, anonymously submitted and built on the highest standards of measurement to assure the results were valid and reliable. There was now a process for asserting when teachers had successfully moved through their novice years and had reached a level of accomplishment, similar to what had existed in other major professions.

By 1993, only six years after its founding, the National Board was ready to welcome the first teachers who elected to pursue certification. Within a few years, National Board Certification became the most rigorous, coveted, and respected professional certification available in education.

For more information on becoming a candidate for National Board Certification, visit the Candidate Center.

Possess a valid state teaching/school counseling license, or, if teaching where a license is not required, have taught in schools recognized and approved to operate by the state

If you have questions about your eligibility, please call the NBPTS at 1-800-22TEACH.

Assessment Process

The assessment center portion of the certification process requires candidates to demonstrate content knowledge in response to three exercises and 45 selected response items that were developed by practicing professionals in each certificate area. Candidates are expected to demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate content necessary to teach across the full age range and ability level of the certificate area in which they applied. Assessments are administered at over 300 computer-based testing centers across the United States.

For more information about the assessment, review the following resources and information:

The NBPTS has issued a set of teaching standards
that describe the accomplished level of teaching for different subject areas and grade-levels. The assessment process
for each area is guided by these standards. An important first step in the process is to study the standards for the particular certificate you choose to pursue.

Support for National Board Candidacy in California

While there is no requirement that candidates attend a support program, most teachers find it helpful to work with others throughout the process. Support is found in a variety of formats ranging from working informally with a colleague to enrolling in a university degree program. Support is available both online and through face to face meetings. Some programs are free and others charge a fee. Information about the major support programs in California is listed below.

Sources of Financial Support

Financial support can be had to achieve advanced certification with no or little out-of-pocket expense. Local Service Organizations, such as Rotary or Lion's Club, or even an individual small business, may be willing to sponsor your candidacy, a letter or a short presentation to explain the program and why you are pursuing National Board Certification may lead to financial help. NBPTS scholarships may also be used to supplement or offset cost. For help putting a presentation together, contact one of the support programs or persons listed above.

Finding National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) in California

More than 5,000 California teachers have earned National Board Certification. To learn who these accomplished teachers are, please visit the NBCT Directory
where you can search by name, certificate, state, district, and year.

CA Education Leadership Grants (added 07-May-2018)
The grant provided professional learning opportunities for a cohort of teacher leaders and practicing and aspiring school administrators that resulted in a self-assessment tool designed to improve educator leader readiness and program quality.

CA Elementary Math and Science Initiative (added 07-May-2018)
The grants provided in-depth professional learning opportunities in mathematics and science for collaborative teams of elementary educators, teachers and their school-site administrator, to improve instructional practice and leadership.

CA Math Readiness Grants (added 07-May-2018)
The grants provide in-depth professional learning opportunities for secondary educators to support the implementation and evaluation of grade 12 experiences that are designed to prepare pupils for placement into college-level courses in mathematics.

Teacher-based Reform Pilot Project (added 03-May-2018)
The Teacher-based Reform (T-BAR) Pilot Project (2009-18) provided access to teacher selected professional learning that was both flexible in its design, embraced by site administrators, and embedded trusted intermediaries.

BTPD Program Descriptions (added 03-May-2018)
Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program descriptions for the awarded local educational agencies.